Tim and Karen entered the armory room and
approached the computer in it.

Karen spoke. "Computer, access
weaponry."

"Password required."

"Omega Delta Alpha Beta Mark 4."

"Password accepted."

Karen turned to Tim. "What do you
want for a weapon?"

Tim smiled. "Zapper. Black major,
dark gray minor."

"Affirmative. Production beginning.
Input any other requests now."

Karen spoke. "Power staff, Electric.
Ivory."

"Affirmative. Production queued.
Input any other requests now."

The two sat down by the computer.

"So," began Tim, "I'm bait
for Darius. Not my favorite roll to play."

Karen laughed. "Not surprised."

In a short while the weapons were finished
and each of the Gamemasters removed their new weapons. Tim's weapon was a
Zapper of black and dark gray, as he had requested, and Karen's was a staff
about five feet tall that was ivory in color except for two transparent blue
lightning bolts that were attached on each side near the top of the object.

"I suggest we go to a more open area
in case Darius arrives," commented Karen.

Tim nodded. "I agree. Perhaps the
ballroom?"

Karen nodded back. "That would seem
to be a more or less open enough place."

Tim went over to the door and opened it.
The door fell open quickly as he turned the handle.

Karen screamed and Tim lurched back as the
body of a Gamemaster fell to the ground.

Karen shook her head. "He knows. He
knew we were here and he wanted us to have a chance to get our weapons. He
wants you to join him and he wants you and I to be separated. He knows that
we're here."

Tim shrugged. "Then we stick
together. I say that we still make our way to the ballroom. It's still a good
place to wait."

Karen nodded. "He'll find us wherever
we go, but I guess that place would be one of the places that I'd dislike least
to have to meet him."

They walked out, being careful to not
touch the body of the downed Gamemaster, and began making their way toward the
ballroom. As they neared it they began to hear music playing, a waltz.

Tim stopped, listening to the music.
"I don't recognize it, do you?"

Karen nodded, her face with a worried
look. "Yes, I do. It's a waltz that Darius composed once. It was his
favorite piece of music that he composed."

"So Darius is in there," said
Tim with a smile. "Let's go get him."

Karen shook her head. "Tim, I'm not
crazy! If we go in there, Darius will fight us. He will not kill you, but he
would not feel bad if he killed me."

Tim sighed. "If not with you, then by
myself." He went to the doors of the ballroom and opened them slowly.

"Welcome," said a voice. "I
am glad you are here, Tim."

Karen ran over to Tim. "I'm going to
regret this."

"And Karen, too. Why I remember when
you trained me. You were the youngest of the League, then." A figure
walked forward, seeming to appear from nowhere. "You are still beautiful. I never appreciated that. Shame I did
not."

Darius turned his head slightly. "But
Tim, you are quite the budding Gamemaster. I must say that I did enjoy that
sword fight that we had on Final Fantasy. You are quite the swordsman. I do
hope that you'll join me.

Two people appeared suddenly and grabbed
Karen, pushing Tim forward before they did so. With a slam they closed the
doors to the ballroom and Tim was stuck within.

"Tim," said Darius with a smile.
"I have never seen anyone as talented as you other than myself. In fact,
you remind me of myself in many ways. Before I will make my true offer of you
joining me, though, I wish you to battle me. Your weapon is a Zapper, I see, so
therefore I will use the same."

He pushed a group of buttons on his
teleporter and a Zapper of black and gold appeared in his right hand. He smiled
as he saw Tim's intrigue. "I am sure they told you about my teleporter
being a prototype and that it can teleport me without a room that locks one's
coordinates for teleportation. But, from your face, I can see they did not tell
you all. My teleporter also has a unique ability to create weapons that have
been programmed into it."

Tim nodded. "A nice feature."

Darius nodded back. "Quite so. Now I
must request that we fight with a hint of the Old West. Back to back, ten
paces, draw, turn, fire."

Tim nodded again. "Agreeable. But
then, if a miss on both parts, anything goes."

Darius smiled. "Agreed."

The two went back to back. Darius began to
count. "One."

"Two."

"Three."

"Four."

"Five."

"Six."

"Seven."

"Eight."

"Nine."

As Darius yelled "Ten!" both
turned around and fired, each jumping out of the way and therefore dodging the
Zapper fire.

Tim looked quickly and ducked behind a
table, which he overturned as he hit the ground. Darius fired and hit the
table, creating a large hole in it. Tim looked through the hole and fired his
Zapper at Darius, barely missing the former Gamemaster who moved quickly out of
the way.

Darius smiled and fired another shot,
missing Tim by a few inches.. "Good aim! I like that."

Tim stood up and fired a few shots at
Darius, the last just barely hitting his arm.

Darius screamed with pain, his clothes cut
and his arm burnt, and fired a shot at Tim, hitting him in the chest.